Although India recorded 30,093 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours, the lowest in four months, here is another challenge before different states and Union Territories (UTs) in the disposal of bio-medical waste generated during the treatment of Corona patients.
As per data shared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, India has generated 56898.2 tons of COVID bio-medical waste from June 2020 to June 2021, with Madhya Pradesh generated the highest ever 8317 tons of waste during treatment of Corona patients.
This huge quantity of bio-medical waste has to be treated as per guidelines issued by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in respective states and UTs.
Guidelines developed for handling, treatment of COVID bio-medical waste
The Central Pollution Control Board has developed guidelines for handling, treatment, and disposal of COVID-19 bio-medical waste (BMW) generated during treatment/ diagnosis/ quarantine of COVID-19 patients under the provisions of Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules, 2016).
As per the guidelines, healthcare facilities are required to segregate the BMW at source and hand over such segregated waste to the common bio-medical waste treatment facility operators for treatment and disposal.
Similarly, the waste generated from quarantine camps/ home quarantine/ home isolation is treated as 'domestic hazardous waste' as defined under Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 for collection by Urban Local Bodies, and thereafter, disposed of as per the provisions of rules.
Further, to track the generation and disposal of COVID-19 Bio-medical Waste (BMW), CPCB has developed an app namely COVID19 BWM.
Directions issued to stakeholders for treatment of hazardous waste
Apart from developing guidelines for handling his waste, CPCB has given directions to those who are involved in the treatment of COVID-related discarded materials.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) like masks and gloves used in general household and commercial places, offices, etc. needs to be kept separately in a paper bag for a minimum of 72 hours before disposal with general waste, after cutting/ shredding.
- Discarded PPEs at commercial establishments, shopping malls, institutions, offices, etc. need to be stored in a separate bin for 3 days, and thereafter disposed of as dry general solid waste after cutting/ shredding.
- PPE waste generated at crematoriums/graveyards needs to be treated as BMW and disposed of accordingly, either through HCF staff or Urban Local Body.
- These guidelines were issued at the very beginning of the COVID Pandemic in March 2020 and the same was revised four times looking at the situation requires.
